Conveyer mechanism



Feb. 28, 1933. 1 E DUPUY 1,899,320

CONVEYER MECHANI SM Filed April 25, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 28, 1933. DUPUY 1,899,320

" CONVEYER MECHANISM Filed April 25, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 fli t/127%.?"

Feb. 28, 1933. DUPUY 1,899,320

CONVEYER MECHANI SM Filed April 23, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 fizpjevah7 Z WWO Patented Feb; 28, 1933 cmma Pmm may,

LOUIS IE. DU PU Y, F SYBACIISEQiQ'EW-,YORK, ASSIGNOIR TO THE LAMSON COMPANYfOIEl SYRACUSE, roux, AcoRroRAmIoN or MASSACHUSETTS MEWSM Application-filed April 23, 1930; Serial No.446,531.

- This invention relates to improvements in a conveyer mechanism andmore particularly in sucha mechanism 'embody ingartraveling conveyerland a movabledevice which is given a movement of translation by the traveling conveyer and which thereupon performs certain predetermined (operations;

An illustrative application of (this invention is. the operation of deflector mechanism such as is usually employed :in connection with a traveling conveyer by which articles travel of the articles, deflects the articles carried and when in an inoperative position out j of the path of travel, allows 'the articles [on the conveyer to pass by the stationflOne means of operating the :deflector arms :is .to provide, adjacent "the conveyer, an article controlled element, usually a :tab, which is actuated by the article's or t-by' pins suitably located upon or projecting from the .articles. The element when actuated causes the deflector arm to take the positionldetermined by the element through thei-operationlo'f suitably arranged mechanicalimech'anism.

The primary object :of this "inventionyds to provide a device for engagingthe belt of an article transporting conveyer whereby the device is givena movement of translation in unisonwith the belt, which ldevlce 1s preferably brought into engagementwith the belt upon the approach of certain predetermined articles.

One object of this application of the sin;

yention is to provide deflectormechanism which comprises in addition Ltorthe deflector arm and article controlled element -:m-eans whereby upon actuation .ofgthe element, the deflector arm is operated by power derived from the traveling conveyer; such means, in the present embodiment, comprising a .device which is caused to engage the tra vel-ing conveyer and thereupon to move-simultaneously with the conveyer and operate the de-- iilcctor arm. A further objectof such application is to providedeflector-mechanism zinthe conveyer causes the deflector armirto swing into the operativeposition whereby 4 Fig- :3 is an enlarged side-elevation'of the, deflector; t v c ,Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken alongthe lineei tof Fig.3;

Fig, '5 isfa side elevation taken from the left of Fig, i illu'stratingthe manner in which the edge of theiconveyer belt is. gripped Fig. G-isan enlarged plan view of one form -Ffiigs. 17 and S are plan views similar to i'Eig. '9 :is a side elevation similar to Fig. ,2 of aconveyerequipped with anotherembodi- :ment'. I

Asshown in Figs. lto 6 of the drawings, the conveyer A equipped with this invention, acofmprises=upper-andi lower runs 10 and 11;

ithe iupper ,run passing between flange guide The deflector arm 16 is fixed upon a shaft r 17 carried by "one'siderail 12 in the usual manner and suitably supported at its base in bearings 18. Fixed upon the'shaft '17 is an arm 20 whic h extends across the conveyer below-thelower-run l1 and is preferably channular :in cross section as shown in Fig. 2.- A spring 21 secured at oneend, to the arm 20 .and atitheother end to a post 22is providedto 'cluding :a device whichfwhen a certain articlega pproaches the mechanism, grips the' ,conveyer and under' theimpulse given toit -15 lofother embodiments of'this invention; and I hold the arm 20 normally in the position in which the deflector arm 16 will occupy the inoperative position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

A rock shaft is supported above and extended transversely of the conveyer A in bearings 26 carried by suitably located bars 27 parallel to the side rails 12. Fixed upon the shaft 25 is a tab 28 which extends intothe path of a pin 29 fixed upon an article B as shown in Fig. 2. It will be noted that the tab 28 is comparatively narrow and will only be tripped if the pin 29 occupies a certain predetermined position upon the article. Fixed upon the rock shaft 25 at oneend thereof is an arm 30 connected by a link 31 with one arm 32 of a lever 33' pivotally mounted upon a pin 34. A spring 35 attached at one end to the arm 36 of the lever 33 and at the other end to a bracket 37 normally holds the parts in such position that the tab 28 projects downwardly so that it will be engaged by a properly located pin 29 upon an article. Attached to the arm 36 of the lever 33 is one end of a bar 40 which has a horizontal reciprocation and has, adjacent its other end, a longitudinally extending slot 42. Slidable in the slot 42 is a block 43 separated from the endof the slot by a spring 44. The bar 40 as will be pointed out below transmits the movement of the tab 28 to a conveyer gripping device 50.. The gripping device includes a sleeve 51 reciprocably carried upon a rectangular rod 52 supported at its ends by brackets 53 depending from one side rail 12 of the conveyer. Secured to the sleeve 50 is a'U-shapedbracket 54, by which a rock shaft 55 is supported. Carried on the rock shaft 55 is a sleeve 56 and collars 57 both sleeve and collars being fixed against movement relative to the shaft by the use of set screws, the formation of irregular surfaces upon the shaft or any other suitable means. Depending from the bracket 54 is a roller 60 which as shown in Fig. 3 enters the channel of the arm 20. The collars 57 are connected to or formed integralwith one edge of a plate 61 which extends below the lower run 11 of the conveyer and carries a shoe 62 adapted under certain conditions to engage the under face of the run 11. Fixed upon the sleeve 51 and projecting inwardly between the runs 10 and 11 is a projection 65 having a shoe 66 of rubber or similar material. As shown particularly in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, one edge of the lower run 11 passes between the shoe 62 of the arm 61 and the shoe 66 of the projection 65.

Springs 67 secured to the collars 57 and to a block 68 carried by the sleeve 51 normally hold the plate 61 swung down out of contact with the conveyer run 11 so that its travel is not impeded in any way. Extending from the sleeve 56 is a finger 70carrying a set screw 71 against which the plate 61' is normally brought to rest by the springs 67.

The sleeve 56 also carries an arm 75 which projects outwardly therefrom and terminates in a tip having an irregular upper surface consistin of vertically offset planes 76, 77 connecte by an incline 78.

Pivotally supported upon the block 68 is an arm 80 terminating at its lower end in a tip 81 against which the tip of the finger 75 is held by the springs 67 as shown in Fig. 3. Mounted on the arm 80. is a button 82 which passes through the slot 42 of the bar 40. Adjustably supported on the side rail 12 isja block 85 which carries a stop 86 in the path oftravel of the arm 80 with. the

sleeve 51.

The gripping device 50 normally occupies the position shown in Fig.3 under the urge of the spring 21 and the deflector bar 16 is in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1. When the tab 28 is tripped by a pin 29 on an article B which is to be diverted to the branch conveyer 15 the lever 33 is actuated through the arm30 and link 31. The bar 40 is thus drawn to the right in Fig. 2 and acts through the block 43 and button 82 to swing the arm 80 on its pivot so that the tip 81 now bears against the raised plane 76 of the finger 75. The shifting of the tip 81 depresses the finger 75 and simultaneously. raises the finger 70 which, acting through screw 71, raises the plate 61 against thev action of the springs 67 so that the edge of the run 11 is gripped between the shoes 62 and 66. The lower run 11 is travelin in the direction indicated by the arrow in ig; 2 and as a result the gripping device is caused to travel to the right. This movement of the gripping device is transmitted through the arm 20 and the shaft 17 to the deflector arm 16 so that the article by which, the tab 28 is tripped will be deflected-onto the conveyer 15. When the gripping device has reached substantially the limit of its'movement the arm 80 contacts with the button 86 causing the tip 81 to swing from engagement with the plane 76 of the finger 75 to engagement with the plane 77 as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3 and the springs 67 immediately act to lower the shoe 62 and releasethe edge of the conveyer belt so that further travel of the device ceases.

. The deflector arm 16 is preferably held in the operating position by a catch of any desired type. In the present instance I have elected to show a catch 90 of the magnetic type as illustrated particularly in Fig. 6. Pivotally mounted upon a plate 91 is a latch 92' which'is normally held by a spring 93 in the dotted line position indicated on Fig. 6. The tail 94 of the latch 92 will however when the latch is swung into the full line position of Fig. 6 pass behind a striker 95.

The striker 95 is carried at one end of a rod 96 suitably supported by spaced brackets 97 and secured at its other end in a yoke 98 formed at the end of a piston 99 of a solenoid 94.01? the latch 92.

The normal position ofthe c'atch'mechaemme 100. Fixed on the rod 96is a collar] 101, be-- trac ted and the striker '95 to release the tail I veyer nismis as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, When the deflector arm 16' is swung across the path of the conveyer by the mechanism previously'described, a pin 108 carried by the deflector arm enters the notch 109 of the latch 92 and swings itfrom the dotted line position of Fig. 6 past the striker 95' into the full line position there shown. The debar 20 in the first embodiment.

flector arm 16 'is'thus held rigidly across the path of travel of the conveyer but assoonas the arm 106 of the circuit maker 105" is tripped the solenoid 100 retracts the rod 96' releasing thelatch 92 and allowing the deflector arm and the gripping device to be b returned by the spring 21 to the normal' .3

position. x i I The embodiments shown in Figs. 7 and 8 differ from that previously described in that the gripping device 50 is caused to engage one edge of theupper'run of the conveyer rather than the lower run. The mechanism employed therein is the same as that illustrated'in detail in the other embodiment with the exception. that the sleeve 51 reciprocates upon a bar 52 'which is substituted for a por--' tion' of the side rail 12 and a suitably formed guard 110 isprovided to prevent "the-articles from coming into contact with the gripping device;

Referring to Fig.7 the deflector 116 is. pivotally mounted upon a shaft 1317. from which shaft extends an arm 118'connected by a link 119 with an arm 120 on a shaft 121. Fixed upon the shaft 121 isfanarm 122*of substantially the same constructionv as the It will be understood that the gripping device 50 is connected to the arm 122 and is actuated by the article through a tab (not shown) in the manner previously, describedL The edge of the upper run 10 of the conveyerA is then engaged by the gripping device which travelsto-the right as shown in Fig.. 7 and causes the deflector arm 116 to shift from themoperative dotted line position to the operative full; line position in which it is. held by a' catch mechanisnr90 of any desired type and deflects articles tothe branch conveyer 15. hen the grippingdevice 50 'reaches the limitof itstravel, the arm is engaged by'anadjustable stop and the runis released. a e a In Fig. 8 thedeflector arm 116? is piv-' otally'mounted ona shaft 117, which shaft carries-tan arm 118 connected by a link'119 with an arm 120? on'a shaft 121 Fixed on the: shaft 121 is an arme122 whichis operated. by the'gripping device 50 in the mannertpreviously described under the control of the tab 28 operative position by a-catch mechanish-QO and thus deflects articles to the branch con Thearm 116 is held in' the In Fig; 9 is shown an'embodiment ofithe invention in which thedeflector is actuated by the engagement ofthe gripping with the edge of a supplementary belt movable inrelation with the transporting conveyer. The

features of thisrembodiment which are-in commonwith the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2' willl'notbe described in detail and will be designatedby the primes of'th'e-reference characters there used;

Mounted between the rims 10 and 11"of theconveyer A is acontinuous belt 150supported atv itsends upon rollers 151. I Suitable idlerrollers. 152 over whichthe upper rim of the belt l50pa'ssescoact with the rollers 151 to hold the belt in contact with the conveyor A so that it travels in unison there'- with. The. normal plane of travel of the conveyerA'is shownby the rollers 153 to; be below the plane determined by the rollers 151 .andl53; The surfaces of the belt 150 and conveyor A are thusin contact, which contact is furtherincreasedby the weight of the article' travelling thereover so that any danger: of slippage is practically eliminated. The deflector arm 16 is fixed upon the shaft 17 "from which projects the arm 20 that is actuated by the gripping -device 50. The device-50 iscaused to engage one edge of; the belt :150 when'the tab. 28 is tripped by the approaching article.

The main feature of this invention is the provision of a gripping device which engages thetraveling conveyer or a belt movable in relation therewith and which is here shown as employed to operate the deflector arm quickly and silently. Other uses for the device might beprovided and hence I am not limitedto theparticular use set up in the illustrated embodiments. In the drawings the article transported by the c'onveyer is a carrier of the type, setforth in: the

Cowley Patent 1,712,872 dated May 14, 1929, i

but 'itwill be understood that I am not limited thereto and that the elements 28, 28 may beof any desired construction and operated in any desired manner. Moreover I am notlimited to the particular form and arrangement of. the variouselements disclosed since; others might be employed without. de-

parting from the spirit and. scope of the in vention as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a traveling conveyer of a movable deflector arm whichin one position is inoperative and in another position is operative to deflect from the conveyer articles carried thereby and means for moving the deflector arm from the inoperative to the operative position,said means including a tab adjacent said conveyer and adapted to lee-actuated bypredetermined articles and a device which engages theconveyer upon the actuation of the tab whereby themovementof the conveyer is transmitted to the deflector arm.

2. The combination with a traveling conveyer of a movable deflector arm which in one position is inoperative and in another position is operativeto deflect from the conveyer articles carried thereby and means for moving the deflector arm from the inoperative to the operative position, said means including a tab adjacent said conveyer and adapted to be actuated by predetermined articles, a device which, when the tab is actuated, grips the edge of the conveyer and is shifted thereby and means for transmitting the movement of the device to the deflector arm and operating it.

3c The combination with a traveling conveyer of a movable deflector arm which in one position is inoperative and in another position is operative to deflect from the conveyer articles carried thereby and means for moving the deflector arm from theinoperative to the operative position, said means including a device which grips one edge of the conveyer whereby the-movement thereby is transmitted to the deflector arm.

i; The combination with a traveling conveyer of a movable deflector arm which in' one position is inoperative and in another position is operative to deflect from the conveyer articles carried thereby and means for moving the deflector arm from the inoperative to the operative position, said means in.- cluding a device which grips one edge of the conveyer and means actuated by certain of said articles for operating said device whereby the movement of the conveyer is transmitted to the deflector arm. 7

5. The combination with a belt conveyer having an upper and a lower run onone of which runs articles are transported, of a deflector arm movable relativeto the article transporting run, which arm in an inoperative position allows the articles to pass freely along the conveyer and in the operative position deflects articles from the conveyer, means associated with the transporting run of theconveyer and adapted to be actuated by certain articles transported thereby, a device for gripping the edge of the other run of the conveyer when the means are actuated and connections between the device and the deflector arm for causing said arm to move into the operative position and deflect the article, by which the means is actuated.

6. The combination with a belt conveyer having an upper and a lower run on one of which runs articles aretransported, of a deflector arm movable relative to the article transporting run, a device for engaging the other run of the conveyer for actuating said deflector arm and means actuated by an article transported by the conveyer for bringing said device into engagement with the conveyer run.

7. The combination with a belt conveyer of a device for engaging the conveyer, said device comprising a sleeve mounted for reciprocation parallel to the conveyer, a shoe fixed upon said sleeve and located at one side of the belt, a second shoe pivotally supportedupon said sleeve and located at the other side of said belt and a movable arm carried by said sleeve which in its movement causes said second shoe to swing into contact with the belt and grip the latter against the fixed shoe whereupon said sleeve is caused to travel in unison with the conveyer, and means actuated by articles transported by the conveyer for operating said arm. 7

8. The combination with a belt conveyer of a device for engaging the conveyer, said device comprising a sleeve mounted for reciprocation parallel tothe conveyer, a shoe fixed upon said sleeve and located at one side of the belt, a second shoe pivotally supported upon said sleeve and located at the other side of said belt and'a movable arm carried by said sleeve which in its movement causes said second shoe to swing into contact with the belt and grip the latter against the fixed shoewhereupon said sleeve'is caused to travel in unison with the conveyer, means actuated by articles transported by the conveyer, for moving the arm into shoe operating position and means for moving the arm to release the shoe after the sleeve has traveled a predetermined distance.

9. The combination with a belt conveyer of a device for engaging the conveyer, said device comprising a sleeve mounted for reciprocation parallel to the conveyer, a shoe fixed upon said sleeve and located at one side of the belt, a second shoe pivotally supported upon said sleeve and located at the other side of said belt and a'movable arm carried by said sleeve which in its movement causes said second shoe to swing into contact with the belt and grip the latter against the fixed shoe whereupon said sleeve is caused to travel in unison with the conveyer, means actuated by articles transported by the conveyer for moving the arm into shoe operating position and a stop with which the arm is brought into contact upon the travel of the sleeve whereby the arm is moved to release the shoe from engagement with the belt. 7 10. The combination with'a belt conveyer,

of movable means associated therewith, a

movable device which in one fposition is 'actu: ated by the conveyer, means. or transmitting the movement of the device tosaid movable means, and meanstripped by an article transported upon the conveyer, for moving the device into the actuating position whereupon the. device is actuated by the conveyer and its movement is transmitted to the movable means. a a

1 1. The combination with a traveling conveyer of a movable deflector arm which in one position is inoperative and in another position is operative to defiectfrom the con-.

I veyer articles carried thereby and means for moving the deflector arm from the inoper ative to the operative position, said means including a device normally out of contact with the conveyer and means actuated bv articles upon the conveyer for causing the device to, engagethe conveyer whereby the movement thereof is transmitted to the deflector arm. I

12. The combination with a traveling conveyer of a movable deflector arm which in one position is inoperative and in another position is operative to deflect from the conveyer articles carried thereby, means including mechanism normally out of contact with the veyer means for eflecting engagement of the belt gripping mechanism with the belt conveyer, and means for transmitting motion from the belt gripping mechanism during travel thereof to the deflector for moving the latter across the conveyer. V

14. The combination with a belt conveyer having an upper and a lower run on one of which runs articles are transported, of a defiector arm movable, relative tofthe article transportingrun and means for engaging the other run of the conveyer foractuating said deflector arm.

15. The combination with a belt conveyer of a device for engagingthe conveyer, said device comprising a sleeve mounted for re-- distance.

upon said sleeve and located at the other side of said belt and a movable arm carried by said sleeve which,'in its movement, causes 7 said second shoe to swing into contact with the belt and grip the latter againstthe fixed shoe, whereupon said sleeve is caused .to'

travel in unison with the. conveyer.

, 16. The combination with a belt conveyer of a .device for engaging the conveyer, said device comprising a sleeve-mounted for re ciprocation parallel to the conveyer, a shoe fixed upon-said sleeve and located at one side of the belt,a second shoe pivotally supported -upon said sleeve and located'at the other side of said belt, and a movable arm carried by said sleeve which in its movement causes said 1 second shoe to swing into contact with the belt and grip the latter against the fixed shoe, whereupon said sleeve is caused to travel in" unisonwith the conveyer,'and means for opcrating said arm.

17. The combination with a belt conveyer ofa device for engaging the conveyer, said device comprising a sleeve mounted "for reciprocatlon parallel to the conveyer, a shoe fixed upon said sleeve and located at one side of the belt, a second shoe pivotally supported upon said sleeve andlocated at the other side of said belt, and a movable arm carried by said sleeve'which in its movement causes said second shoe to swing .into contact with the belt and grip the latter against the fixed shoe, whereupon said sleeve is caused to travel in unison with .the conveyer, means formoving' the arm into shoe operating position and means for moving the arm to release the shoe after the sleeve has traveled a predetermined 18. The combinationwith a belt conveyer of a device for engaging the conveyer, said" device comprising 'a sleeve mounted for reciprocationparallel to the conveyer, a shoe fixed upon said sleeve and located'at one side of the belt, a second shoe pivotally supported upon said sleeve and located at the other side of said belt and a-movable' arm carried by said sleeve which, in its movement, causes said second shoe to swing into contact with thebelt and grip the latter against the fixed shoe, -whereupon said "sleeve is caused to travel in unison with the conveyer, means, for movingthe arm mto shoe operating pos1- tion and a stop with which the arm is brought into contact upon the travel of the sleeve,

whereby the arm is moved to release the shoe from engagement Withthe belt.

Signed by me at Syracuse, New York, this 16th day of April, 1930. LOUIS E. DUPUY.

ciprocation parallel to the conveyer,a shoe fixed upon said sleeve and located at one side of the belt, a second shoe pivotally supported 

